Merriman returns fresh and hungry

The Chargers embraced Shawne Merriman on Monday, the first day he was able to visit the team facility after testing positive for steroids.
Merriman, the NFL defensive rookie of the year in 2005, was sidelined for four games after failing a drug test. Merriman had 8.5 sacks before being penalized and appeared on his way to his second Pro Bowl invitation in as many years.

Now that Merriman is back, one of the NFL's top defenses will be that much better as it heads for Buffalo this weekend.

"I always feel that I have 100 percent love for the game," Merriman said. "But when you are taken away from it, you are that much more hungrier, and it's hard to believe. I have more hunger than I did before because when they take away the game from you, you really understand what the game is about."

Merriman looked fit and fresh after a month off. The Chargers missed his game-changing presence, but the team did go 4-0 when he was sidelined.

"Not to say we didn't miss him, but we did all we could do," quarterback Philip Rivers said. "We couldn't do anything more than win four, and we got that done.

"But he will certainly lend a hand in keeping this roll going and winning games. He's going to be fresh, that is for sure. He will be fresh and ready to go, and I'm sure his mind-set will be trying to make up for lost time, especially this week."

Merriman adds fuel to a defense that had five sacks in Sunday's win over the Raiders and leads the NFL with 41.

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NOTES, QUOTES

—The Chargers were just 2-for-11 on third downs against Oakland, and WR Eric Parker was responsible for both of the conversions with catches.

—San Diego had a franchise-best 14 sacks in its two-game series with the Raiders.

—The Chargers have won 10 consecutive November games.

—RB LaDainian Tomlinson is two TD passes shy of Walter Payton's mark for a non-quarterback. Tomlinson threw the sixth of his career Sunday, a 19-yarder to TE Antonio Gates.

—For the first time this season, CBs Drayton Florence and Quentin Jammer had interceptions in the same game.

—There's a new sack leader among the Chargers, and his name isn't Shawne Merriman. LB Shaun Phillips had 1.5 of the team's five sacks, giving him 9.5 on the year — a half-sack more than Merriman. "I honestly wish I could have gotten a couple more," Phillips said. "I felt we could have gotten a couple more as a unit. (But) Aaron Brooks is an illusive quarterback, and he was able to make a couple of good plays running around."

—Here's what Schottenheimer was thinking in the wake of WR Vincent Jackson's spiking of the ball, which nearly returned possession to the Raiders. "What in the world are you thinking about?" he said.

—QB Philip Rivers never did achieve a real comfort level in the pocket. "I was just out of whack, speeded up a little bit," he said. "I left the pocket a couple of times when I didn't need to. You hope you don't have this kind of game, (but) we still came away with a win."

—Sunday's trip will be the final regular-season one for the Chargers away from the West Coast. The Chargers final road game on Christmas Eve is in Seattle.

—The Chargers were just 2-for-11 on third downs against Oakland, and WR Eric Parker was responsible for both of the conversions with catches.

—San Diego had a franchise-best 14 sacks in its two-game series with the Raiders.

—The Chargers have won 10 consecutive November games.

—RB LaDainian Tomlinson is two TD passes shy of Walter Payton's mark for a non-quarterback. Tomlinson threw the sixth of his career Sunday, a 19-yarder to TE Antonio Gates.

—For the first time this season, CBs Drayton Florence and Quentin Jammer had interceptions in the same game.

—There's a new sack leader among the Chargers, and his name isn't Shawne Merriman. LB Shaun Phillips had 1.5 of the team's five sacks, giving him 9.5 on the year — a half-sack more than Merriman. "I honestly wish I could have gotten a couple more," Phillips said. "I felt we could have gotten a couple more as a unit. (But) Aaron Brooks is an illusive quarterback, and he was able to make a couple of good plays running around."

—Here's what Schottenheimer was thinking in the wake of WR Vincent Jackson's spiking of the ball, which nearly returned possession to the Raiders. "What in the world are you thinking about?" he said.

—QB Philip Rivers never did achieve a real comfort level in the pocket. "I was just out of whack, speeded up a little bit," he said. "I left the pocket a couple of times when I didn't need to. You hope you don't have this kind of game, (but) we still came away with a win."

—Sunday's trip will be the final regular-season one for the Chargers away from the West Coast. The Chargers final road game on Christmas Eve is in Seattle.